Decoding Lucknow’s water stress

With the city expanding, household water demand is expected to exceed 1000 MLD and commercial use is likely to surpass 800 MLD. Without proactive measures to recharge the water table, Lucknow faces a grim future, say environmentalists

LUCKNOW The city extracts around 800 to 900 million litres of groundwater per day (MLD) for domestic use and 550 MLD for commercial purposes, but alarmingly, there is no regulatory framework mandating recharge of the water table. As a result, certain areas have witnessed a drastic decline in the water table by as much as 20 metres, raising critical concerns about the sustainability of the city’s water resources.

A hand pump lying in a dilapidated condition at Balu Adda in Lucknow. According to Jal Sansthan officials, about 70% of groundwater is used for domestic and agricultural purposes, with the remaining water being used for commercial activities. (Mushtaq Ali/HT Photo)

Experts attribute the crisis to a combination of over-extraction for both domestic and industrial uses. This dual pressure highlights the urgent need for sustainable water management practices. The situation is a microcosm of a broader national issue, where urban centres struggle to balance consumption with conservation amidst growing populations and expanding industrial activities.

According to Jal Sansthan officials, about 70% of groundwater is used for domestic and agricultural purposes, with the remaining water being used for commercial activities. Nearly 95% of industrial units rely on groundwater for their commercial operations.

Over the past year, over 275 NoCs had been issued to industrial units by the State Ground Water Department under the UP Ground Water (Management and Regulation) Act, 2019. This act was implemented to protect, conserve, control and regulate groundwater resources within the jurisdiction of the UP Government. Prior to this, industrial units in Lucknow extracted groundwater with permission from the Central Ground Water Authority.

According to the policy, industrial units cannot extract water without an NoC from the State Ground Water Department and there is no requirement of NoCs for domestic and agricultural users.

Officials said it is important to regulate groundwater extraction to ensure sustainable water management in Lucknow. Though stringent measures under the Act aim to control illegal extraction and conserve this vital resource for future generations, they don’t give any right to departments to act against illegal extraction of water by non-commercial users who use 70% of groundwater.

Anupam Srivastava, hydrologist with the State Ground Water Board, said: “Under the UP Ground Water (Management and Regulation) Act, 2019, we have issued notices to more than 400 units for illegally extracting groundwater. This Act includes provisions for fines ranging from ₹2 to 5 lakh and imprisonment from 6 months to 1 year, or both.”

A Jal Sansthan official said there was no perfect record of number of submersible pumps operating in Lucknow due to the lack of NoC requirements for domestic users in the Act. However, it is estimated that around 30,000 submersible pumps are in operation within the city.

“The population of the city has surged to around 4.5 million, with an additional floating population exceeding 1 million that further strains water resources. According to urban standards, each person should have access to 135 litres of water daily, implying that Lucknow needs approximately 750 mld for its residential population alone. However, when industrial, commercial, and agricultural demands are included, the total daily requirement skyrockets to between 1300 and 1400 mld,” said Dr Shailendra Yadav, an expert in urban environment and ecology and assistant professor, department of environmental science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University.

Projections for the future paint a picture of concern. As the city expands, household water demand is expected to exceed 1000 mld, and commercial use is anticipated to surpass 800 mld. Without proactive measures to recharge the water table, the residents of Lucknow face a grim future, said Yadav.

“There is an urgent need for sustainable water management practices in Lucknow. The significant drops in groundwater levels could have severe implications for the city’s water supply, affecting agriculture, industry, and daily consumption. Authorities and residents must prioritize water conservation and explore alternative water sources to mitigate this growing crisis,” said ‘Waterman of India’ Rajendra Singh.

He elaborated, “There is a need for a detailed understanding of the area’s agro-ecological and climatic diversity before implementing conservation plans. Authorities and residents will have to understand the agro-ecological, climatic key zone diversity of the area before coming up with the conservation plan.”

He said, “Solutions for groundwater recharge should be devised by hydrologists rather than engineers. The government needs to understand that engineers cannot solve the issue of underground water recharging.”

The groundwater crisis in Lucknow is a clear indication of the broader challenges facing urban centres across the country. With significant drops in groundwater levels across multiple localities, the city’s water security is at risk. The findings call for immediate and concerted efforts from both authorities and residents to implement sustainable water management practices.

The State Ground Water Department’s comprehensive study of groundwater levels in various localities of Lucknow has revealed a worrisome trend over the past decade.

Deendayal Nagar saw groundwater levels plummeting from 15.25 metres to 35.55 metres in the last 10 years, marking a huge decline of 20.30 metres - the highest recorded in the city. Mahanagar also saw one of the steepest declines, with groundwater levels dropping from 27.67 m to 41.06 m, marking a decrease of 13.39 m. Similarly, Para experienced a substantial drop of 16.65 m, from 20.30 m to 36.95 m in 10 years.

Several areas reported declines over a slightly shorter period. In Faizullaganj, groundwater levels dropped by 12.57 m from 27.31 m in pre-monsoon 2017 to 39.88 m in pre-monsoon 2023. In Victoria Park, Chowk, the groundwater levels dropped from 18.70 m to 30.16 m over a period of nine years, a decline of 11.46 m.

Notably, Indira Nagar Sector C groundwater levels fell from 26.15 m to 37.99 m, showing a decline of 11.84 m. Gomti Nagar, Vinay Khand, levels decreased from 26.95 m to 35.88 m, marking a decline of 8.93 m over nine years, from pre-monsoon 2014 to pre-monsoon 2023.

Areas with relatively smaller declines such as Rahimabad (5.49 m) and Loksewa Aayog, Aliganj (5.8 m) show the widespread nature of groundwater depletion.